obama is, quote, genuinely conflicted over whether to pick kerry or united nations ambassador susan rice. president obama said yesterday that republican attacks against susan rice will not influence his decision. jo ari, what do you make of the chuck hagel situation with his name floating into the mix now? >> i thinkç it's a good faith efforts to take in a wide range of views. we know that president obama in his first term, obviously, went with secretary gates despite his ties to republican foreign policy. hagel is more of a progressive voice, but i'm not sure that a second-term obama presidency reaches back to another republican defense figure. >> and as to the john kerry/susan rice dilemma that the president faces, he says that the attacks on susan rice won't affect his decision one way or another. it won't force his hand to nominate her, and it won't affect his decision to go with senator kerry, if that's what he chooses to do. is he going to be able to incredibly present his choice as his real first choice under these circumstances? >> well, that's the problem with this town,